Then Kari said, "These men see us not."

"Then let us suffer them to ride on," said Bjorn.

So those three rode on past them; but the six others then came

riding right up to them, and they all leapt off their horses

straightway in a body, and turned on Kari and his companion.

First, Glum Hildir's son rushed at them, and thrust at Kari with

a spear; Kari turned short round on his heel, and Glum missed

him, and the blow fell against the rock. Bjorn sees that and

hewed at once the head off Glum's spear. Kari leant on one side

and smote at Glum with his sword, and the blow fell on his thigh,

and took off the limb high up in the thigh, and Glum died at

once.

Then Vebrand and Asbrand the sons of Thorbrand ran up to Kari,

but Kari flew at Vebrand and thrust his sword through him, but

afterwards he hewed off both of Asbrand's feet from under him.

In this bout both Kari and Bjorn were wounded.

Then Kettle of the Mark rushed at Kari, and thrust at him with

his spear. Kari threw up his leg, and the spear stuck in the

ground, and Kari leapt on the spear-shaft, and snapped it in

sunder.

Then Kari grasped Kettle in his arms, and Bjorn ran up just then,

and wanted to slay him, but Kari said, "Be still now. I will

give Kettle peace; for though it may be that Kettle's life is in

my power, still I will never slay him."

Kettle answers never a word, but rode away after his companions,

and told those the tidings who did not know them already.

They told also these tidings to the men of the Hundred, and they

gathered together at once a great force of armed men, and went

straightway up all the water-courses, and so far up on the fell

that they were three days in the chase; but after that they

turned back to their own homes, but Kettle and his companions

rode east to Swinefell, and told the tidings there.

Flosi was little stirred at what had befallen them, but said, "No

one could tell whether things would stop there, for there is no

man like Kari of all that are now left in Iceland."

The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor · 第 241 / 252 题